


Sacrifices

by Fmfan1980



Category: Naruto
Genre: Drama, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2018-11-24
Packaged: 2019-08-28 17:13:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16727541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fmfan1980/pseuds/Fmfan1980
Summary: Sakura hides a sacrifice that can never come to light. One day, she meets Hinata and sees something that shouldn't be, and so she goes to the source of who she believes to be Hinata's troubles. All the while, she hides the sacrifice she made the day of Hanabi's rescue years earlier. Just a one-shot (Maybe the Summary could be improved somewhat?) *Sigh*





	Sacrifices

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Naruto and its associated works do not belong to me. I'm just playing in the sandbox created by Masashi Kishimoto.

It was about five minutes ago that Sakura arrived one of the many different grocery hypermarkets that opened in Konoha. Ever since the end of the Fourth Shinobi War, the village began to slowly expand and advance technologically thanks to this era of unprecedented peace. Entering the store after the automatic sliding doors hissed open, she grabbed a trolley at the entrance and then walked into the moderately crowded store. There were items all over the place that included anything from regular groceries such as fresh meat and vegetables, to clothes, to one corner of the store selling Shinobi weapons and gear, and even a few dango and ramen restaurants.

As she headed for the vegetable chillers, she was aware of some of the looks she was getting – some were of respect and adoration since she used to be one of the members of the venerated Team Seven. She was also widely known the second strongest Kunoichi on all the Elemental Nations, one of the best medic-nin's, the Seventh Hokage's best friend, and the former apprentice of the former Godaime Hokage, Senju Tsunade. Some of the newer magazines even placed her at third place for most beautiful Kunoichi in all of Konoha after Tsunade, who happened to be the first, and followed by Hinata at second place.

While she had her share of admirers, there were also those in Konoha who were the complete opposite. Sakura held her head up high while feeling the glares being fired her way as she opened a chiller and grabbed some leafy greens – she knew those glares were for the fact that she married Uchiha Sasuke. And these were not glares of jealousy.

Some people hated her for marrying a traitor.

Some people hated her daughter for being an Uchiha.

And some hated her for spitting on the sacrifices made by those who fell in a war that was started by the Uchiha Clan.

Sakura closed the chiller door and then moved to the next cabinet. Her eyes were staring at the prices of the vegetables while, at the same time, using the reflection on the glass cabinets of the people passing by behind her so that she could be prepared for any danger to herself.

Sakura knew it wouldn't be easy marrying Sasuke. She knew what many people would think. Even Ino, her best friend, asked if she was sure after the pink haired woman made the announcement of their upcoming wedding twelve years ago. And Sakura was sure. She told Ino that despite everything, she still loved Sasuke, and that she felt that she could be his anchor… a way to ensure that one part of himself always remains in the light.

Eventually, Ino supported her, and even provided the flowers for the event at a steep discount. There was no doubt about the feelings between Sakura and Sasuke since Naruto supported the union between herself and Sasuke wholeheartedly. However, Sakura also knew that while Naruto was ecstatic in his marriage with Hinata, there was a part of him that would forever love his pink-haired teammate. It was during Sakura's wedding to Sasuke that she saw it- it was only a second while Hinata was looking away; the former Hyuuga Heiress was speaking with Kiba – when a sad smile formed on Naruto's face, a little reveal of a regret that was locked away.

She never saw that sad smile again. Eventually, Naruto became Sarada's, Sakura's daughter's, godfather. Tsunade became their respective children's great-grand mother. She was Aunt Sakura to Boruto and Himawari, and Sarada was Boruto's classmate.

As Sakura moved on to the fruit aisle, she mentally made a note of the time. She needed to get back home to prepare herself for her job as Director of the Children's Mental Trauma Center in the hospital. In Tsunade's absence, Sakura was also in charge of the entire Konoha Hospital – a position she'd be taking full time in a year, after Tsunade officially retires. At that time, the Children's Mental and Trauma center directorship would go to the woman who helped her set it up, Yamanaka Ino.

Sakura sighed as she thought about all she needed to do; she had to finish her shopping, go back home, make sure she had some lunch ready for Sarada, then she needed to shower, change her clothes, and then rush off to the hospital. Just thinking about the day ahead made her tired, and it hadn't been too long before she woke up. As she headed to the next aisle, she caught sight of a familiar figure.

'Hinata,' Sakura smiled and was about to call out to her when she saw the expression on the Uzumaki's face. It was an expression that Sakura never thought she would see on Hinata. The expression was plastered on Hinata's face for just a second as she stared down at her empty cart, but it was there. And Sakura lost her smile… she had seen that look pained on Hinata's face before.

It was the look that Sakura would see on her own face sometimes when she looked at herself in the mirror – a look of loneliness and despair so deep that it simply hurt… it felt like a knife being stabbed into her chest. Sakura missed Sasuke… not having him home for months or years at a time hurt. It was that morning that she looked at the mirror after waking up; she saw the look of despair etched on her face and it brought a stabbing pain to her chest – the thought that Sasuke hadn't seen Sarada for years now… the last being when she was six years old. And before that when she was four. And before that, when she was two. And then before that was when she was born.

And then Sakura would remember one of the first rules of a Shinobi that she learned in the Academy years ago; a Shinobi endures. So, she would wipe away any tears welling in her eyes and get back to freshening herself up for the day.

'A shinobi endures,' Sakura thought looking away from Hinata. She closed her eyes, 'it isn't my business.' Opening her eyes again, she mentally told herself that she couldn't just walk away. Instead, she turned the trolley into the aisle, the 'skree skree' sounds coming from the wheels of the trolley brought Hinata out of her reverie and Sakura saw her looking back up at her.

"Good morning, Hinata," Sakura said with a smile as she stopped her trolley next to Hinata's. This close to the former Hyuuga, Sakura could see that the beauty of the blue haired woman was unmatched, even against her own, Ino, and Tsunade – the latter looked as if she would be losing her crown as the most beautiful Kunoichi in the world. Sakura felt warmth coming off the woman as she smiled, the expression on her face one of happiness now instead of that one second of despair and loneliness. Sakura glanced at Hinata's empty trolley and then chuckled, "busy morning?"

"I came looking for Boruto's favourite cereal," she nodded at the cereal aisle to her right, "but they're all out I guess."

"Well, Sarada likes this one," Sakura reached out and grabbed one boxed cereal which had an image of a younger Naruto doing a thumbs up sign on the box cover, "something about it being frosty, or something."

Hinata smiled and grabbed the same cereal from the shelf and placed in her trolley as well, "I'm sure Boruto would love it." Sakura saw Hinata glance into her trolley before looking away and then back at Sakura, "I should get going, Sakura-san, I need to get some vegetables as well. It.. it slipped my mind I guess."

'I'm sure,' Sakura thought looking away from Hinata. The two of them stood there for a few more seconds… a few uncomfortable seconds, before Sakura looked back at Hinata's direction again. The blue haired beauty said that she should get going and finish the rest of her shopping. Sakura nodded her head and was about to leave when her hands gripped the handle of her trolley tight as Hinata began to move.

"Hinata," Sakura spoke, looking into the woman's pale blue eyes, "how about Naruto and you, and the kids come down to my place tonight? It's been a long time since we've had dinner together."

"I… I'm not sure, Naruto-kun's been really busy lately, perhaps another time?" Hinata asked, a wide grin on her face. Sakura saw that the grin wasn't reaching her eyes. Even so, Sakura returned the smile.

'Baka Naruto, what the hell are you doing?' Sakura thought.

"I… I should go, Sakura," Hinata said before Sakura could say anything else. She watched Hinata walk away, her back to the pink haired woman before making a left turn towards the other aisle. Sakura looked back down at her trolley of groceries before shaking her head.

'Stay out of this,' Sakura chided herself as she closed her eyes before thinking back to a defining moment in all of their lives several years back.

**A few years ago.**

"You'll never get someone as great as her, Naruto," Sakura recalled telling Naruto when she was suffering from chakra exhaustion after saving the blonde's life during the mission to save Hinata from Toneri, "she loved you since the Academy. All of us saw it, all of us except you."

"But I…" Sakura knew what Naruto was going to say. But she made the decision to love someone else. Even though there was always a place in her heart for the blonde, she knew that Sasuke was the man she was meant to be with for the future.

She was the one meant to keep Sasuke in the light, to pull him back even though he always would remain partly in darkness. She stared at the surprise in Naruto's deep blue eyes, eyes that any woman would love to swim in, and thought back to all the times the blonde had been standing by her side. She thought back to all the times her had made her feel at ease, all the times he had made her feel content, all the times he had supported her.

Naruto had been pushing her, even if he didn't realise it, to be better, he made her feel as if she could smile… in fact, he was the one who made her smile. There were many things that happened in their young adult lives - from his return to Konoha after training with Jiraiya, to the end of the War that made the two of them who they were now. It was the small events between those moments, between those important world changing events that would enter the history books, that made Sakura realize that she did love Konoha's Number One Knucklehead Ninja. She loved Sasuke, and she loved Naruto. She loved both her teammates with all her heart.

Sakura also knew that the two of then wanted Sasuke back; Sakura already profusely apologized for telling Naruto that she loved him – even though a large part of her meant every word. She did love him, and at the same time she wanted him to stop looking for Sasuke – it was her own obsessiveness that created the mess that had Naruto obsessed, and she wanted to clean it up on her own. But she never admitted her love to Naruto again. Instead, she admitted she wanted Sasuke back because she loved him, and Naruto told Sakura that he wanted him back because he was their family. Their individual reasons resulting in the same result; Sasuke's return to Konoha.

But there was always a part, she knew, of Naruto that would love her. And there was always a part of herself that would love him.

However, Sakura knew that she had to be Sasuke's anchor to the light, and she knew that Naruto needed to be happy… truly happy. Sakura knew that Hinata loved Naruto… it was obvious to anyone who wasn't blind; and to anyone who wasn't Naruto. As Sakura lay down on the ground several years ago, her body heavy after severe chakra exhaustion, she looked up at Naruto and remembered gently nudging him towards Hinata. She reminded him about the declaration of love Hinata made the day of Pain's attack- and had to restrain herself from beating Naruto to a pulp when he said he forgot all about it.

So, Sakura wanted to ensure Naruto was happy. Whenever Sakura wasn't out with Naruto on missions, she'll instead prod Hinata. When Sakura found out the story about Hinata's first meeting with Naruto, the two of them laughed at the memory of the chibi Bunshins that Naruto created. But the story that got to her was about the mysterious scarf that was torn up the day Naruto interrupted the bullies making fun of Hinata.

"Well?" Sakura had asked that day during a lunch break from duties at the hospital; it was a few weeks before Hanabi's kidnapping by Toneri's forces, "what are you waiting for? I've seen the clothes you knitted, Hinata. You're good. Oh.. that scarf… make him that scarf that was shredded back then."

And then Hinata knitted him the scarf, and the day she was going to give it to Naruto, Sakura wanted to punch the blonde to the moon. He got distracted by some female genin, and it was Sakura who walked Hinata towards the latter's home. And then came Hanabi's kidnapping, and then came the rescue mission.

And Sakura still saw love in his eyes for her, the pinkette who secretly loved him in return; it was a love that simply couldn't be revealed. And so, Sakura asked him a question that she knew wasn't true. A question that still hurt now after all these years.

"Maybe you loved me because of your rivalry with Sasuke-kun." And immediately after those words, Sakura knew she locked, and threw away the metaphorical key for the part of her heart that grew to care deeply for, and love, Naruto. She knew that for there to be a rivalry, two people would have to be fighting for the same goal.

But early on in their lives, even when Naruto continually declared his crush/love for Sakura, Sasuke never did. He didn't have a crush, or love her then, in fact he went out of his way to ignore her; even betrayed the village for power, even tried to kill her and Naruto later in life before seeing the light and returning to Konoha. It was after that return that Sasuke started opening up to her.

It was a non-existent rivalry she was talking about, and she hoped that Naruto was dense enough to know that she was playing him once again. And it hurt lying to the blonde Jinchuriki again, but Sakura knew that she could not make him happy since she would be more concerned about Sasuke's well-being. So she continued to say, "You'll be an idiot to let her go, Naruto."

She saw a flicker of sorrow in Naruto's eyes that day.

And ever since the rescue, Sakura had seen Naruto grow happier and happier with Hinata. The two of them were the talk of the village. They were the golden couple. The former Hyuuga Heiress and the son of the Yondaime Hokage, the latter being the heir to both the Uzumaki Clan and the Namikaze name. Their wedding was one for the ages with friends, family, foreign dignitaries invited – Sakura even thought she had seen the Sage of the Six-Paths at the wedding.

Naruto and Hinata were happy. And it made Sakura happy to see Naruto so overjoyed.

**Now.**

Sakura opened her eyes. Her mind and body were back in the grocery store as a couple walked past her, the woman whispering into the man's ear.

"She's the traitor's wife, right?"

"Shhh."

Sakura silently stared at her groceries for a few seconds before she shook her head. She then pushed the trolley towards the cashier, paid for her items, and then walked out. With bags in both her hands, and a determined expression on her face, Sakura changed direction from the way to her apartment to the Hokage Tower while thinking, 'I'll buy some lunch for Sarada on the way back.'

**The Hokage Tower.**

Sakura thought that it must have been some sight to see the temporary Head of the Konoha Hospital rushing though the front doors of the Hokage Tower lobby carrying bags of groceries. However, she couldn't stop as she strode past the counter where the receptionist handed out the mission scrolls to the various teams. She took the escalators to the second floor, and then the elevators to the top-most floor, the muzak in the elevator playing some song she didn't recognize while she was surrounded by Chuunin and Jonin shinobi. All of whom were shuddering at the sudden killing intent that was emanating from Sakura.

'That idiot must have done something… yeah… he must have done something...' Sakura strode down the hall after the doors opened as battle hardened shinobi simply got out of her way, 'you baka! What did you do? She of all people should not be upset, I have never seen her as upset as just now! What the hell did you do!?'

"Sakura?" asked Shikamaru, who just left Naruto's office. Without thinking, Sakura handed the bags of groceries to the Shadow User and continued walking. Shikamaru blinked, wondering what was going on as he stared at Sakura, her hands rolled into fists, pushing the doors to Naruto's office open and then closing it shut. He then looked down at the bags in his hands and sighed, "troublesome."

**Naruto's office.**

Sakura was biting her lower lip while her hands were on her hips as she glared at Naruto. She saw that the blonde had his eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he stared at her, his eyes blinking wildly before standing up.

"Sakura-chan? Is everything…"

"Activate the privacy seals," Sakura said looking away from Naruto, "to its maximum setting."

"Saku…"

"Please, Naruto," Sakura – the only one other than Sasuke allowed to be so informal with him when they were alone - asked staring back at Naruto.

'Don't. Don't bring Hinata into this. Don't bring your problems into this. A shinobi endures. Just leave… just turn around and leave.'

Sakura saw the blonde weave hand signs before the doors were bolted, the soundproofing was activated to its maximum, and the windows shut automatically and then were blacked out. Another additional seal was activated to prevent any doujutsu from looking into the room.

"Done," Naruto said while his left hand brushed against the table top behind a pile of papers and scrolls, "Sakura-chan, what's going on?"

Sakura's mind was a blank as she frowned at Naruto, and then paced the floor for a few seconds before stopping and facing Naruto again, her hands still on her hips. She shook her head at him and then paced for a few more seconds while Naruto stared confused.

"Sakura-chan, I…"

"Naruto, just….! Ahh!" Sakura yelled out before she sat on the couch in the office while the blonde stepped back at the outburst.

'Go home! Go home! Not our business… not our….' Sakura's thoughts were interrupted by her voice as she stood back up while Naruto walked to the front of his desk and stared at her.

"Sasuke's been gone on a long-term mission," Sakura stood up once again while raising her arms up to her side and staring at Naruto who looked confused.

"I know… I told you he was on a…"

"I haven't seen him in years, Sarada hasn't seen him in years and…"

"He's trying to get…."

"I know!" Sakura yelled out before she paced the floor while Naruto looked on in concern as she ran both her hands through her hair. "He's gone and I don't know when he's supposed to be coming back and… and Sarada misses him, and… and I miss him," She could hear her voice crack and saw that Naruto was taking a step towards her. She shook her head and stopped, waving her hand while asking to keep away, "sometimes when I look into the mirror I think I see someone…"

"Like a ghost?" Naruto said. Sakura knew the man was simply trying to lighten the mood. But she still saw the look of loneliness and despair on Hinata's face in her mind.

"It's a metaphor," Sakura said shaking her head before sighing at the confused look on Naruto's face, "no, it's not a ghost."

"Oh," Naruto said, "so the someone you see…?"

Sakura closed her eyes and shook her head, "sometimes I get so… so…" Sakura was breathing hard as she opened her eyes and looked up at Naruto, "sometimes I just…"

"Sakura-chan, what's going on?" Naruto asked concern etched in his voice.

"I just got back from the grocery, I met…"

'Don't. Sakura, don't. Just walk away, just walk away,' Sakura thought to herself, 'she'll endure. I'll endure. A shinobi always endures.'

"Hinata. I saw Hinata."

"Okay," Naruto looked confused.

"She had this look on her… I mean…" Sakura rubbed the bridge of her nose while Naruto stared at her, "she… she had… had this look…"

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto whispered as he took a few steps forward and placed his hands on her shoulder, "is Hinata alright? What is it? Is she…"

"It's the same look I have when I… when I remember I haven't seen Sasuke-kun in a long time," Sakura said staring at Naruto's wide-open eyes. Sakura stopped talking and just stared at Naruto's eyes for a few more seconds while thinking to herself.

'This is something he, of all people does NOT need to know!'

"I feel so lonely," Sakura's eyes snapped away from his eyes and the look of concern on Naruto's face; the pink haired Kunoichi continued, "I feel like sometimes I'm stepping into a pit of despair and… and it hurts. It feels like I'm sinking down and…"

"I'll send him a falcon and have him…"

Sakura closed her eyes and breathed in deep, fighting the tears welling in her eyes as she reminded herself that Sasuke needed to concentrate in his secret mission… that hearing she was upset would distract him, "don't. He's out there looking for information on what Kaguya wanted an army for. He needs to do this."

"And you…" Naruto was stopped as Sakura continued.

"A shinobi.."

"Don't give me that crap, Sakura-chan," Naruto said shaking his head, his voice stern, "don't tell me that a shinobi has to endure, and…"

"That's not the point, Naruto."

"Sakura-chan, I think that…."

"Naruto!" Sakura walked up to the blonde and placed her hands on his shoulders, interrupting what he wanted to say, "why is your wife, who has you in the village… why does she have the same expression of this deep loneliness and despair that I do?"

"I…."

"Why, Naruto? I wake up some mornings and feel that… that even though Sarada's in my life that… that there's this loneliness," Sakura asked looking directly into Naruto's eyes, "but Hinata has you, Naruto. She shouldn't even be having that expression on her face. She… it was only for a second, but it was there. What did.. what did you do?"

"I…" Naruto breathed in deep before looking away from Sakura, "I…" Sakura saw Naruto shake his head before looking back into her eyes in embarrassment, "I may have… I mean, I did send a clone to our anniversary dinner, and…"

"There's an and?" Sakura shook her head in disbelief as she stepped back, "Naruto…"

"I may have sent a clone to Boruto's birthday," Naruto sighed, "he wasn't happy."

"Go see her, Naruto," Sakura whispered taking a seat on the couch with Naruto joining her, "go to the grocery store next to the Video Game arcade, Hinata should still be there."

"I can't just up and leave, Sakura-chan," Naruto whispered leaning back against the back cushion of the couch, as did Sakura who was looking down at her fingers, "Hinata knows that the village is like a family to me and I need to look after my family."

"Your real family… I mean Hinata, Boruto, and Himawari need you too," Sakura whispered turning her head towards the blonde, "when was the last you've seen them."

"I see Hinata when I get home but… it's so late that I don't see the kids as much as I did before I became Hokage," Naruto whispered, "but they understand, Sakura-chan, they understand why I have to come home late. Or why some nights I'm stuck in the office. And… and they accept it as part of the job."

"Doesn't mean that it has to be," Sakura whispered as she leaned forwards and stared at the brown coloured carpeting, "Naruto, I've seen you do the impossible. You manage things that no ordinary shinobi would even think about…" Sakura, her body still leaning forward, turned her head to look over at Naruto, "and you're telling me you can't make time for your family?"

"It's… it's not like that, I…"

"You're a good man… an idiot still sometimes…"

"Sakura-chan," Naruto whined as he rubbed the back of his head.

"You're a great Hokage," Sakura said leaning back on the couch, "you achieved your dream, but I know what you wanted the most of all," Sakura turned her head towards Naruto again, "we were a family. I know you wanted to be a part of a family."

Naruto nodded his head while whispering, "I know." Sakura looked ahead to where Naruto was staring, and it was a picture taken after the war of Naruto, herself, and Sasuke – the two men were heavily bandaged lying on two beds with an exasperated Sakura between then, her hands on their foreheads.

She then turned her head back towards Naruto, "and you have a village as a family too."

"I do."

"And you have your own family," Sakura whispered, "and you need to go to them."

"I…"

"I've seen your Kage Bunshins all over the village, Naruto," Sakura whispered looking into his deep blue eyes. She quickly looked away and continued to whisper, "leave some to handle the work while you enjoy some time with Hinata." She sighed before looking back at Naruto, and the blonde finally saw the loneliness and despair in her eyes and etched on her face, "don't let her become like me." Sakura quickly looked away and chuckled before saying, "it's kinda ironic that you're getting unwanted advice from someone who hasn't seen her husband in…"

"I can tell him to cancel the mission, Sakura-chan," Naruto whispered.

"He's protecting the village, you, me, Sarada in his own way," Sakura whispered, "no matter how much it hurts me, I can't pull him away from that." Sakura sniffed before she wiped her eyes. She took in a deep breath before feeling hands on her shoulders. Sakura looked over at Naruto, "take a little break and at least accompany Hinata back home."

"And I'm going to tell her that…"

"She was on your mind, and that you had to see her," Sakura whispered looking into his eyes. The part of her heart that was locked away slightly throbbing in pain before Sakura placed another layer of metaphorical locks around that section of her heart. She gave Naruto a small smile before getting up off the couch, "tell her that you gave in to your pervert instincts and used the Sandaime's crystal ball." The two of them giggled for a few seconds before slowly calming down. Sakura then took a deep breath and continued, "I should get some lunch for Sarada, and then… well, I have to be at the Hospital soon. And don't forget you have your regular check-up next week."

Naruto nodded his head as he got up off the couch and stood across from Sakura.

"Sakura-chan," Naruto said, "are you gonna be okay?"

"Sarada and I will endure, Naruto," Sakura said before she smiled, "how about releasing the seals now?"

Naruto nodded his head and weaved through hand signs. With the seals lifted, Sakura turned around and walked towards the door with Naruto following close behind. Opening the door, Sakura looked over her shoulder at Naruto, "and remember you have that visit at the children's ward tomorrow. They're excited about seeing their Hokage."

Naruto chuckled before Sakura waved and then she walked into the hallway outside. The door swung closed leaving Naruto alone standing in the middle of his office. He rubbed the back of his head before he made the seal for the Jutsu he was known for.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." Three clones poofed into existence facing Naruto.

"You guys know what to do," Naruto said as he reached for the door knob while the clones nodded, "I'm taking a little break."

"What about Sasuke? Do we recall him?" one of the clones asked.

"Sakura-chan's strong," Naruto said looking back down at the carpet, "she understands why he's on this mission." Naruto looked back up at his clones, a look of regret on his face, "she can endure."

As the original Naruto walked towards the open windows behind his desk while his clones went to work, a melancholy expression was painted on his face for a few seconds. The blonde Hokage leapt out of the window and onto the adjacent rooftop before he began making his way towards his wife.

'There was no rivalry in my love for you, Sakura-chan,' he thought while leaping from one roof to another, 'Sasuke never loved you back then, and I know you knew it too. I could see it in your eyes, I knew you were lying again, I knew back then… even as you spoke about that ridiculous lie about rivalry… that you loved me too. We were rivals in everything but you.' A sad smile formed on Naruto's face, 'but I realized that your love for Sasuke was bigger than the love you had for me, and so I swore to lock away my feelings for you.' Naruto made a turn and then a summersault before he landed on another rooftop while citizens from the ground below, seeing their Hokage, yelled out his name in reverence as they waved, the blonde returning the waves as he dashed from one rooftop to another.

'Somewhere inside my heart, I also knew that Sasuke needed you… he needed an anchor if he was going to remain in Konoha,' Naruto thought, 'and now, the two of you have a daughter in Sarada. I've never seen him happier… and that's because of you.'

Nearing the grocery store, Naruto slowed down and came to a stop, 'I love you, Sakura-chan… and always will.' Naruto closed his eyes and began sensing his wife's chakra, 'there you are, my princess.' Naruto opened his eyes and prepared to shunshin into the grocery store, and then grab his wife, while thinking, 'I'm sure you had to lock away whatever love you had for me, just as I'm still having to lock away whatever romantic love I still have for you.' A smile formed on his face, 'in the end, we do what we have to do for the people we love, huh, Sakura-chan. We make the sacrifices that need to be made so that everyone is happy.'

Naruto stared at the Grocery Hypermart as he stood on the roof of the adjacent building. He remembered the kiss, his first ever kiss, with Hinata, and a smile formed on his face.

Naruto shunshined into the grocery story and reappeared in front of a very surprised Hinata. The woman was about to open her lips to ask what he was doing there while the other customers were mumbling around them. A second later, there was a collective gasp before everyone started to cheer and clap as Naruto pulled his wife into a tight hug and then began passionately kissing her.

All this was happening in the middle of the dairy aisle. With several camera phones taking pictures and video of the Hokage passionately making out with his beautiful wife.

**The following day.**

The next day, the front-page story on the two Konoha newspapers would be how the Seventh Hokage shunshined into the hypermarket, grabbed Hinata and then kissed her passionately, before picking up his wife bridal style, and then shunshined out of there a few minutes later. It was a picture that embarrassed Boruto to no end while Himawari could only chuckle.

In the meantime, Sakura was looking at herself in her washroom mirror and saw despair etched on her face once again. She looked away and closed her eyes before a female voice yelled out, "mama!"

"I'm up, Sarada!" Sakura yelled out before looking back at the mirror. She took in a deep breath and recalled what she didn't have; the type of bond with Naruto that could have been. And then she remembered what she did have; bonds with Sarada, her beautiful daughter; she still had a bond of friendship with Naruto, and she had a bond with Sasuke that kept him in the light. And then a smile formed on her face as she imagined Sarada's smile.

"Here's to the day," she whispered before picking up her tooth brush.

TBC.


End file.
